Firestorm
by Netbug-Archive
Summary: LEFT UNFINISHED. Formerly titled "The Black Flower". She finds herself back in that mystery. Is she truly stronger than this? Or does even she have a breaking point? Wherever her point lay, so does his. Ottova.
1. Chapter 1

Long Author's Note here. Sorry. Bear with me.

Yes. Ottova. 25 chapters of it. This was one of those things on my the challenge forum. The Ottova 50. a 25 chapter ottova fic and 25 ottova one shots. I like challenges, and It's would be fun to put some focus on a pairing besides spova (even though it is my OTP and is, in my opinion, awesomeness) , so I decided why not?

This is gonna be kinda AU, since it omits spova ever happening and all that jazz. Please, no complaints about how Sprx isn't trying t kill Otto and that crud. I'm kinda sick of how Sprx gets turned into a jerk every time there's a fic that he appears in that has a pairing different Nova X male monkey team member pairing. I mean, I could see an argument happening, but come on folks. Geez.

I'll stop ranting now anyways. Enjoy the fic.

P.S. If all you're gonna say is "Good fic but I like spova better", please don't bother with a review. I'm sorry if I sound rude, but I've gotten so many reviews like this they've become a pet peeve. I know lots of people like spova better.** I** like spova better. However, sometimes it's fun, in my opinion, to try and write some stuff about other pairings, and ottova is kinda cute in my opinion. Please, something that's helpful to the writer in your review would be nice. At least tell me something you liked about it if you're not gonna give me advice. Please and thank you.

P.P.S. This plot may seem familiar, but I'm no trying to copy the show, k? I thought this up when I was first starting to get into SRMTHG a good year and a half ago All I've done with it since then is changed the pairing and got the plot line all nice and pretty to write about.

Disclaimer: I don't own SRMTHG, or any of the characters from it. I just wrote this fic. I don't make any money off of it or anything (but man, that would be an awesome job if it was legal!) so please don't sue me. Oh, and if you were thinking of suing me, you must work for Disney, so please pass along this message to your company... "RENEW MONKEY TEAM."

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The Black Flower 

By Netbug009

Chapter 1

Darkness.

She was aware she had closed her eyes a few moments ago, so it should be dark. That makes sense. But this was different. It was that kinda darkness that made you shiver. The kind that had a sense of wickedness to it. "Team?" She called out, desperately searching for another voice. "Chiro? Antauri? Gibson?" No answer. "Otto? Sprx? ...Jinmay?" Nothing. She began to panic. It wasn't that darkness that scared her half as much as that she was alone in it. She was angry at herself for that. She should be stronger than this. But she was only mortal. Fear was something that had become a mimic of natural for mortals. Her panic only grew. "No.. no! Ah! Somebody hear me! Please! Guys! Team! Help!"

"Nova! **Nova!**"

Her eyes shot back open, light flooding them. She breathed heavily and looked to the ceiling, still frozen in shock and fear. She finally began to calm down and, seeing the ear of another monkey to the left of her bedside, looked in said direction. Moments later, she recognized the monkey's color as green. "Otto! Oh thank goodness!"

"Are you okay Nova?" Otto asked. "I heard you wailing from the repair bay. I was up late working on some stuff. I don't think I remember you ever having a nightmare before!"

"Heh. I guess not." Nova rubbed the back of her head, a little embarrassed at Otto's finding.

"It must have been really scary," Otto said.

"Yeah," Nova admitted.

"Do you wanna talk about it?"

Nova thought for a moment. "...No. I'll be okay. Thanks anyway."

"Okay. But you know you can always talk to me, right?" Otto asked. Nova nodded. "Good." Otto smiled and began to head towards the door.

"...Otto?" Otto stopped and turned back to Nova upon her call. "Can you promise me something?"

"Sure Nova. What is it?"

"Just... promise me you'll never leave me alone, okay? I mean, promice you guys won't leave me alone if trouble comes?"

"Nova! That's silly! Of course I wouldn't leave you! None of us would!"

"But still, promise?"

"I promise." Otto smiled at Nova, who a moment later smiled back.

"Thanks Otto."

"No problem!" With that, he exited the room and let Nova get some sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Hey guys, I'm thinking about changing the title of this one. What do you guys think of the current title? Please let m know when you review. I don't need suggestions. I know what I'd change it to. But I want to know if people like the current title or not. Thanks! :)

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Chapter 2

No big game is complete without lots of snacks, which stunk for Nova, because the mere sight of food got her close to throwing up at the moment.

Of course, she wasn't going to tell the others that she was under the weather. She'd been looking forward to sitting in front of the big television and watching Shuggazoomians tackle each other over a piece of inflated leather as much as any of her male teammates. For once, Antauri hadn't sensed an incoming threat this morning. For once, they were going to all be able to just goof off and watch sports on Sunday like most normal guys and some normal tomboys liked to do. Of course, speaking of Antauri, he and Gibson thought this was a boring way to spend the afternoon, so they had gone to meditate and do experiments.

Still, it wasn't often than four members of the Hyperforce got a day to goof off. Nova was not gonna miss it. Nova was not, under any circumstances, going to miss it.

Everybody dived into the popcorn bin except for her. The smell of cheese, the preferred flavor of those present, filled the air. Her stomach did a back flip and the nausea increased her spinning headache.

Maybe she'd miss ten minutes. She'd go rest her eyes for a bit and come back when she felt better. After all, it would go away quickly. She was sure of it. She probably was having trouble getting up because of all the sleep she lost over the nightmares the night before. Yeah, hat had to be it. She never _really_ got sick. Sleep deprivation though? Anybody could get that, even if their immune system was as strong and their giant fists.

"I'll be right back guys," Nova said, slowly getting up and walking towards the door to the hallway.

At least, she was trying to walk. It was more of a wobbly limp. Otto, still concerned and distracted from the game over last night, was the only one who noticed. "Hey, you okay?" This got the other three to turn their attention to the ill warrior.

"Huh? What?" Nova focused and looked back at her friends. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just need to lie down for a second." She continued walking.

One step.

Two steps.

She fell to the ground unconscious.


	3. Chapter 3

So, I did end up changing the title, and now you may be looking at it with your head tilted sideways wondering how on Shuggazoom this is a better one. It is a better one. Just trust me on that. Please. XD

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Chapter 3

"Well, you clearly have some unhealthy symptoms."

While Nova wasn't as open as Sprx was about it, she too got annoyed when Gibson stated the obvious. Of course she had unhealthy symptoms. She'd just woken up on the med bay cot surrounded by the team after being uncontentious for ten hours. That, and she felt like she was burning up.

"You've been unconscious for ten hours."

Yes, this had been clarified. Thank you Gibson.

"The entire time, you've been sweating profusely."

Really? Nova never would have been able to tell from the gross wet feeling all over her body. Thank you Gibson.

"However, your vital signs are normal."

Wait, what?

"You mean I don't have a fever?" Nova asked weakly from atop a medical bay cot. Gibson shook his head. Nova sighed. She hated being sick. She couldn't train, and everybody would crowd around and be worried. It was odd, in fact, how much they did crowd around. More so than when another member was sick. If she ever found it had anything to do with her gender, she'd beat them all to a pulp, but that theory made about as much sense as this... Cold? Flu? Whatever it was. Being sick was an annoying enough issue when it actually made sense. "Please tell me you know what it is."

"I have no idea."

She groaned.

"I want you to get some rest. You'll be monitored closely by scanners and if anything changes I'll be notified by an internal alarm and come immediately. If you need anything, you know where the assistance button is. I'll also be checking on your occasionally and trying to figure out what this is."

Nova still wasn't happy about all this, but worrying wouldn't make things better. Sleep was as close to a cure all for disease as it got, so she tucked herself into the uncomfortable bed ad tried to get some sleep as the group filed out. The silence was uncomfortable, but nobody was in the chatty mood. There was something about Nova that made it especially bad if she was the one sick, though none of them could figure it out exactly. The fact that nobody knew what it was and it appeared on the serious side only made it worse.

Nova expected to hear the door close automatically behind them, but after the footsteps stopped, it didn't happen. She sat up a little and raised an eyebrow at Otto, standing in the door. "You okay?"

"Who, me?" Otto asked, as if there was somebody else to pick from. "Yeah! I'm fine! I'm just worried about you is all! But, if I'm keeping you up, I'll go now," Otto started to step out.

Nova smiled for the first time all day. "No, it's fine. I mean, if you really wanna stay there, but you heard Gibson. We don't know what this is. It could be contagious, and not getting enough sleep doesn't help you keep from getting it."

Otto nodded, though a bit sad to. Nova made a point. "You gonna be okay though, right?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"T-Think so?" Otto almost sounded panicked.

"I _know_ so."

"You sure?"

"Yeah Otto."

"Really sure?"

"I promise, okay?"

"...Okay." Otto wasn't the brightest crayon in the robot, but he wasn't stupid. He knew she couldn't really promise that, and that worried him half to death. But whether she admitted it or not, he was keeping her up.

"Night Nova," he said one last time, and the door closed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

It should have helped that she was farther from him, over in the medical bay, but it didn't. Otto could still hear just as clearly the sounds of Nova's whimpering that night. Another set of nightmares. _It must be part of the illness_, Otto thought. _Nova almost never gets nightmares._

However, his personal explanation didn't stop the noise, nor even calm it in the slightest. It was so loud to him, and from continued silence in the pod rooms around him he wondered if he was the only one hearing it. Could he be sick too?

He didn't know, but she was still crying, and he couldn't just lie in his charger anymore.

Otto opened his charger door and jumped out, quickly heading out of his room and down the hallways towards the med bay. It didn't take Gibson to be able to tell that the whimpering was easier to focus on than it should have been with all the beeps and whirs of the robot faintly trailing him.

Speaking of Gibson, he was standing in front of the med bay doors. His expression was flat, and his arms crossed. Otto skidded to a halt in front of him, only now realizing he'd been running. "Oh," Otto whispered, chuckling nervously, "hi Gibson."

"Otto," Gibson wasn't absorbing any of Otto faux calm atmosphere, "Nova needs sleep, nightmares or none."

Otto chuckled again. It was still a failed tactic. He sighed. "But, Gibson... She's crying..."

"I'm aware of that."

Now how little empathy Otto was gaining started to bug him. He held back the urge to glare. "Gibson, isn't there something we could do?"

"No. Not except for letting her sleep, Otto."

"Aw, come on!"

"No, Otto." Otto sighed again, staring at the ground, defeated. Gibson's emotionless eyes finally broke into some compassion. "Otto," he put a hand on his friend's shoulder, "we're all worried, alright? I've already given her medication for any pain and the fever. I'll keep looking for information that could help her, but for now there's nothing more either of us can do. Nova needs her sleep more than anything. You should get your's, too."

"...But..."

"Otto, Nova's strong."

"Huh?" Otto looked to Gibson.

"She's not going to let some silly nightmare get her!" He smiled, both to comfort and because he got to have a small lecture now. "Nightmares are simply a figment of the subconscious built from stimulus during waking hours. Honestly, Otto, Nova has defeated more vile creatures than you and I combined. I'm sure she can handle an unpleasant nocturnal mental image."

Otto grinned slightly. "Yeah, I guess you're right..."

"All right." Gibson said with a nod, satisfied. "Now go back to sleep. You can't be much help to _anyone_ if you're tired." That, and Gibson couldn't sleep either if he had to stand guard at Nova's door to keep green robot monkeys from disturbing her.

"...Got it," Otto replied, though he couldn't help look around Gibson through the med bay window for a moment. As expecting, there was a trembling yellow creature under several blankets. Otto frowned, but still headed back towards his room.

Of course Gibson was right. He was always right. Nova could handle this easily.

...But seeing her like this still hurt.


	5. Chapter 5

(kicks ) LEMME POST ALREADY! D8

**Chapter 5**

Otto was trying to sleep. He was trying to ignore the oddly loud whimpers and thoughts of Nova shivering under her blanket. He really was.

He couldn't help it if Chiro was shouting, though.

"Team, there's a fire in the city! Monkeys, Mobilize!"

The four boy monkeys of the team were out of their rooms rather quickly. When one was fully charging, it took longer than that to wake up and be fully alert.

"Huh? What happened to the alarm?" Sprx asked, quickly out of his room and heading down the hallway.

"I am unsure," Antauri replied, running alongside Sprx. A line of five was getting into formation as they headed down the hallways. "It will have to be investigated after this matter is solved."

They broke even when everybody was in place to disengage the Super Robot at the same time.

"Super!"

"Robot!"

"Monkey!"

"Team..."

"Hyper!"

"Fo- Wait."

"Nova!" the team scolded. Indeed, Nova was in her position, never happier that she had one of the seats in the robot with a real chair. She was properly positioned and pressing all the right buttons to help split the robot, but was clearly doing so in a very exhausted manner. "What?" she asked in a tired voice, sinking deeper into her chair just from the effort of that.

"Nova, we can disengage the robot without you. Please go back to the medical bay the rest," Antauri ordered.

"Yeah, Nova!" Sprx added. "Just a fire! We've got it covered!"

"No guys! I'm fine! Really..." Nova spoke as if sitting in a furnace, and her last word trailed off with a moan. The team all looked at her on their monitors in concern. Was her fever getting worse?!

"Nova! Go back to the med bay and rest! You have a really bad fever and if you let it get worse you could get more sick!"

The group blinked, sure they hadn't heard that voice match up with that tone. They started flipping through camera channels frantically. Yes, they had heard it. The booming, aggravated tone was Otto.

"I mean... Nova..." Otto looked to Nova through the camera sadly, but with authority, hoping that he was up on her screen right now. He was on it, and everybody else's. "Nova, we don't know what you have, and...I don't... _we_ don't want to lose you."

There was the sound of four sets of screens flicking back to Nova, and then nothing. Nothing for the longest time. Yes, whatever this was Nova had could be fatal. Otto had just said what every one of them had been thinking and too afraid to comment on. Antauri and Chiro sensed the group's power primate fluctuating. Gibson went back into his own little world of trying to pinpoint a similar illness, though had a hard time in the uncomfortable situation. Sprx didn't even consider breaking the tension with a joke. Otto simply kept staring Nova down.

Finally, Nova unbuckled herself and shot back up the tube without a word. Everybody rushed their screens to the security cameras until Nova was back past the torso airlock and heading into the med bay.

"A...Alright team," Chiro commanded, taking a deep breath, "prepare to disengage!"


	6. Chapter 6

Woohoo! I'm on a roll with this one! And it's LONG! Enjoy, guys! Reviews are appreciated! :)

**Chapter 6**

The late night sky was colored a dark red, and an ember fog danced along the streets of Shuggazoom. A mix of smoke and burning heat ruined the spectacle, allowing no applause in favor of coughing and screams.

However, soon after, the dark clouds were cut through and caught in the drag of a trio of metal vehicles familiar to the citizens. Water came shooting out of hoses attached to the vehicles, their blue, red, and black colors dancing to make a much more interesting light show than the flames they were dousing. Elsewhere, two land vehicles that also held a familiarity rumbled over the charred debris. Despite this, they gave off a gentle and heart-raising nature as soon as their operators came out and helped the hurt citizens. Five of the Super Robot's pieces had headed downtown, and wasted no time in stopping the fires.

It was a pretty short operation, fires being a rather common ploy for Skeleton King when he was feeling uncreative or needed a distraction. The true battle came when the embers were completely doused. The five active members of the team abandoned their vessels, scanning different parts of the city.

"Who's got Nova's sector?" Chiro asked over his communicator, checking his assigned area of town.

"I've got it!" Otto volunteered, already finishing up his own area as quickly as he could. Soon enough, he was checking Nova's usual sector. Energy saws at the ready, he jetted above the streets, stopping when he thought he saw something suspicious or when he saw a citizen who'd been missed during the chaos of the first rescue sweep. There was only one troubled citizen; otherwise nothing came from the search.

Otto lowered himself to the ground. Okay, all clear.

...All clear?

Otto turned on his comm link. "So... Uh, I guess the heat formless are all over in your guys' areas, huh?"

Sprx chuckled nervously, first to reply, "I was about to ask that."

"I concur," Gibson added., pausing for a thought before finishing. "They're not targeting Chiro, are they? Antauri, you're closest to Chiro. Can you get to his location? Or are you dealing with the horde as well?"

"Uh... I'm fine, guys," Chiro commented.

"I am unable to detect any formless as well," Antauri said, "heat form or otherwise. In fact, I have not located any monsters in the city."

Otto heard no more for a long moment, only not assuming a communication error because the background noise remained the same. "So... there's no bad guy?"

"I, uh, I guess not," Sprx replied.

"Well then, logic dictates it was most likely an incident caused by some form of misdemeanor among the citizens," Gibson said.

"Monkey, please," Sprx snapped, getting a bit tense.

"It was probably a simple accident. A normal fire."

The world _normal_ was seldom found in the Hyperforce's daily vocabulary. So seldom, in fact, that the idea of a _normal_ fire took a lot of blinking and silence for the team to wrap their minds around.

"Okay team..." Chiro commanded, pausing quite frequently out of discomfort, "mission... accomplished... let's go home?" Chiro got all four replies at once, just as uncomfortable.

"Indeed, let's put the robot back together."

"Sounds excellent!"

"Maybe I can get some sleep now?"

"Alright!"

And in moments, the team was all zipping back towards the robot's dock. Chiro made it there first, and took the moment to check the med bay camera. Good, the stabilizers were working fine. The med bay hadn't been shaken at all, and Nova was getting some sleep. Or, at the least, she appeared to be.

No more words than those needed to put the Super Robot back together properly were exchanged until the five had regrouped at the bridge. The boys all scrambled for something to say to debrief, but found nothing. No true attack, nothing to talk about really.

"We should help clean up the city tomorrow," Chiro commented. The others nodded. Of course, they'd all come to that conclusion already, but they looked to Chiro as if he was a Gibson dulling genius for saying something to break up the awkward debriefing.

"Indeed, this is quite a job even for the normal disaster cleanup team, and we must also helped displaced citizens until their homes are repaired," Antauri said.

That was all it took to open the floodgates.

"I can't believe it got that bad before we responded," Sprx said. "Why didn't the alarms go off?"

"I dunno, I checked them yesterday," Otto replied.

"It really is quite bad out there, isn't it?" Gibson commented. "It may be best for us to begin assistance now. No doubt most citizens will not be sleeping either, and we need to make sure emergency assistance is distributed quickly and thoroughly."

"Man, why did this have to happen in the middle of the night?" Sprx let out a yawn, stretching his arms a little. "My battery pack hates me right now."

"Sprx has a point. We won't be much help if we are handicapped by a lack of sleep," Gibson said.

"But we can't just leave them out there," Otto added.

"Of course not." Gibson, followed by the others, looked to Chiro.

After watching the teenager struggle with finding a good plan, Antauri bailed him out. "Otto, Gibson, you two seem the most alert right now. We'll take the first half of the night. Afterwards, Chiro, Sprx, we will come wake you and you two shall take the second half. Let's move quickly. I sense a lot of distress among the citizens." The others nodded in agreement with the plan. "Monkeys, Mobilize!"

Honestly, Otto knew as he headed back outside he was more tired than he'd come across, but it wasn't like he was getting much sleep anyway.


End file.
